“Nobody would give a sh*t”: Heated Rivalry creator responds to show's criticism about bad acting 

Jacob Tierney is hitting back at critics who are slamming Heated Rivalry for it's "bad acting", as the showrunner responded to the criticism amidst the show's popularity everywhere. Celebrity gossip site Deuxmoi talked about the show on their podcast, calling out the actors' bad performances and saying that there's "no plot." Hudson Williams has already responded to the podcast, commenting that he has grown quite unfond of the site, and after much talk on the internet about it, Tierney is directly responding to Deuxmoi.

Speaking to Variety, the showrunner talked about how Hated Rivalry wouldn't receive the praise and popularity that it has, if the acting was bad or there was no plot. Speaking to the outlet, Tierney said,

"Nobody would give a sh*t about this if the acting was bad, or if there was no story. I think this is a show that actually requires you to pay attention...I could give a f*ck what Deuxmoi’s criticism is of the show. I literally don’t even know who these people are. I don’t give a f*ck what they think about anything...This is not for everybody, and that is A-OK. But I think at a certain point, the show speaks for itself, and the reaction to it speaks for itself, and there’s no way that these boys would be on the receiving end of the attention that they’re getting if they weren’t good."

He then added that he felt protective of both Williams and his co-star Connor Storrie, especially as he has seen the hard work they have put into the show. He finished off by saying people are entitled to their own opinions, and that Deuxmoi can keep doing their thing.

What is Heated Rivalry about?

At its core, Heated Rivalry is a slow burn love story disguised as a sports drama and powered entirely by longing, repression, and extremely intense eye contact in locker rooms. The series follows Shane Hollander, a Canadian hockey golden boy, and Ilya Rozanov, his equally elite Russian rival. On the ice, they are marketed as enemies. Off it, they are very much not that.

Their relationship begins as secret, impulsive hookups stretched across years of hotel rooms, away games, and stolen moments between seasons. What starts as purely physical slowly turns into something messier and scarier, following a passionate romance that doesn't fit neatly into a sport that still struggles with queerness, especially during the late 2000s and 2010s when the show is set.

Parallel to their story is another fan favorite romance between Scott Hunter, a closeted hockey star, and Kip, a civilian who refuses to be a secret forever. Their arc adds contrast and stakes, showing different ways queer love collides with fame and fear.

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Heated Rivalry is available to stream on HBO Max.

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